State Sen. Martha Fuller-Clark won’t face charges in Nov. 1 crash

PORTSMOUTH — No criminal charges will be filed against state Sen. Martha Fuller-Clark of Portsmouth for an accident on Nov. 1 in which she struck a pedestrian with her car during what she later told police was a blackout.

Portsmouth Deputy Police Chief Corey MacDonald said there was no sign of impairment by alcohol or other drugs at the scene of the accident and based on the results of follow-up blood tests, the department does not plan to bring any charges against the long-time senator.

In the days after the accident — the second involving Fuller Clark in recent months — the 70-year-old senator said she had voluntarily stopped driving.

Fuller Clark’s attorney, Wilfred “Jack” Sanders of the law firm Pierce-Atwood, said Monday that Fuller Clark’s surrender of her license does not mean she intends never to drive again; she may seek reinstatement in the future, when she gets to the bottom of the medical issue that caused the accidents, he said.

“She was just shocked that this did happen and wanted to be checked out medically, for instance, and so she took this in a very, very responsible fashion,” Sanders said.

Police said Fuller Clark was driving a silver Audi when her car went over the curb and struck Carla Dow, 67, of Kittery Point, Maine, on a Maplewood Avenue sidewalk.

Dow was taken to Portsmouth Regional Hospital, where she was treated and released.

Sanders said the senator is very sorry that it happened, and is glad the injuries Dow suffered were not severe.

“It’s unfortunate there were any injuries, but we certainly wish her well,” Sanders said.

He said he does not believe Dow plans to file a civil suit.

“This was a pure accident,” Sanders said.

Dow refused to talk to the Union Leader Monday night, saying she had an attorney.

She would not give the name of her attorney.

In September, Fuller Clark jumped a curb in a median on Greenland Road, damaging a road sign.

She told police the area was poorly lit.

MacDonald said if Fuller-Clark had not surrendered her license in November, the department could have sent a letter to the Department of Motor Vehicles expressing its concerns and requesting a re-test.